WEDNESDAY’S BRITISH NEWS ROUND-UP

HAYLES AND KENNAUGH TO CALI WORLD CUPRob Hayles and Pete Kennaugh will head to Cali in Columbia for this weekend?s World Cup meeting.

Between them they will ride the Madison, scratch race and points race.

Britain had planned to send four endurance women but Lizzie Armitstead misses out after her crash at the Melbourne World Cup and a couple of other riders are suffering from coughs and colds.

Great Britain will field a stronger team at the Beijing World Cup in the new year.

MILLAR TALKS DOPINGDavid Millar talked candidly about doping in cycling in an interview with French publication L?Equipe yesterday.

Millar said that he had little sympathy for former Gerolsteiner manager Hans-Michael Holczer. ?He had a big mouth but no real internal anti-doping programme. He had always defended Stefan Schumacher [who tested positive for CERA at the Tour de France] when he had big doubts about him. Last year, his blood parameters were already abnormal before the World Championships. He did not have to lign up at the Tour de France, that?s Holczer?s fault. At Garmin, Jonathan [Vaughters] takes care of his responsibilities.?

Asked whether he thought that there was a change in mentality towards doping in the peloton, Millar replied: ?ten years ago, there was a real doping culture in cycling. Now, we?ve moved to a culture of anti-doping. Before, we were only talking about ?preparation? products. From now on, we talk about controls, internal programmes, the biological passport. But I think that will take five or ten years. It will take a generation change. For the first time, on a scientific level, the anti-doping war is catching the cheats. I?m very confident,? mused Millar.

CAVENDISH BUZZING AFTER COLUMBIA CAMPMark Cavendish returned home to the Isle of Man after the Columbia team’s training camp in Majorca buzzing.

“The morale in the team is amazing,” he said. “I could never imagine wanting to stay at a training camp but I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want to come home.”

The Columbia kit is going to change next season and he said: “It’s different… I can’t give you any clues though.”

PENDLETON CHAMPIONS PEDAL IT PINK CAMPAIGNVictoria Pendleton will take a break from racing duties in April to promote a worthy cause

Victoria Pendleton will be an ambassador for the new Pedal it Pink rides next year, organised by Breast Cancer Campaign.

The first ever Pedal it Pink, in Liverpool?s Sefton Park, is designed especially for women. A variety of cycle routes will be on offer and participants can choose between a half (13.1 miles) and a full marathon route (26.2 miles).

?After winning Olympic gold in the sprint in Beijing this summer, I?m so thrilled to lead Breast Cancer Campaign?s very first Pedal it Pink,? said Pendleton.

?It?ll be really exciting to see hundreds of women getting on their bikes to help beat breast cancer, so I really hope you can join us on 19 April in Sefton Park. I know it?ll be lots of fun and together we can make a difference!?

Entries open on January 6. See www.breastcancercampaign.org for more details.

MCCAULEY LEADS OCEANIA TOUR
Not strictly British news, but many of you may remember former-Plowman Craven rider, Gordon McCauley.

McCauley is now leading the UCI Oceania Tour ranking, just five points ahead of last year?s winner, Hayden Roulston.

McCauley placed highly throughout the recent Tour of Southland to take the overall lead in the Oceania Tour. The Tour continues with the Tour of Wellington in January.

LUTON STUDENTS PEDALLING FOR FREE
Students at the University of Bedfordshire will break for the Christmas holidays in better shape after taking advantage of a new recycled bike scheme to get them to and from campus.

A total of 25 repaired bikes have been loaned out free of charge in the scheme?s first term. The initiative forms part of the Active Lives, Healthy People project by Sustrans to encourage people across Luton to walk and cycle their way to a healthier lifestyle.

Project coordinator Chris Wilkinson said: ?The vast majority of students live an easy bike ride from campus which makes cycling the most convenient and healthiest way to get to and from their lectures. Everyone who has joined this scheme has been really pleased with their new bike and we hope to continue helping out many more students in the New Year.?

Students can keep the bikes, for up to three years, on completion of a four-hour cycle training session delivered in partnership with Luton Borough Council Cycle Training team.

www.sustrans.org.uk

ATHERTON TAKES SPORTS PERSONALITY TITLE
The 2008 women?s World downhill mountain-bike champion took the BBC Midlands Sportswoman of the Year title on Sunday.

Atherton took three downhill wins this season as well as her World title.

Track sprinter Jess Varnish won the Young Sportswoman of the Year title at the same event.

If you have any British news you would like to share, please contact andrew_canning@ipcmedia.com

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